South Carolina residents ask lawmakers to allow a legal casino in their area

Legislators are considering three pro-gambling bills.

Residents in Orangeburg County, South Carolina have encouraged lawmakers to consider a proposal that would allow a legal casino in the area, according to a local report from the South Carolina Daily Gazette.

Those living in the county told legislators having a casino nearby could benefit the local economy if approved.

Three pro-gambling bills are currently on the table in South Carolina House as well. However, the legislative session ends in two weeks, and The Ways and Means subcommittee has not voted on any of these bills.

If passed, these bills would open the door for legal online sports betting, categorize certain skill games as “not gambling” and permit a casino off Interstate 95 near Santee, according to the local report.

Rep. Jerry Govan told his fellow legislators an opportunity to boost the economy by adding a legal casino should not be ignored.

However, opponents of casino expansion raised moral objections.

Representatives of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and Palmetto Family Council have opposed pro-gambling bills in South Carolina for decades, according to local news.

Faith-based lobbying council president Steve Pettit told lawmakers, “It’s a moment of moral reckoning. The spread of gambling forces us to ask some tough questions.

“These are systems that feed on desperation. They promise hope, but they deliver harm. They are built to profit from loss and to disguise addiction as opportunity.”

Sports betting is currently legal in more than 38 states, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a federal ban on sports wagering in May 2018.

Laura Mack

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